Midfielder Alberto Aquilani And Forward Fernando Torres Poised To Return For Liverpool

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed that injured duo Alberto Aquilani and Fernando Torres are ready to return to action and should play some part in Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Fiorentina.

Aquilani’s continued presence on the Reds bench has been the source of much frustration for Liverpool fans in recent weeks. However, speaking to BBC Sport, Benitez admitted the former Roma man could start the game against the Viola and revealed why he did not face Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

"Aquilani will maybe start the game [against Fiorentina], we are considering this,” explained the Spaniard.

“I feel this [Blackburn] was a difficult, physical place to come and not the right time to throw him on.

"He will be better getting his chance in a home match with our fans behind him. It is a difficult decision when someone is not fully match fit, he could make a mistake and it would set him back."

The Italian could be joined in the starting line up by Torres who is fit again after missing the last five matches for the Reds.

"Hopefully Torres will be ready this week - I don't know if he will play or be on the bench," added Benitez.

"He's a player who everybody knows is really good. He is important for us and would be for any top side in the world.

"Hopefully he will be ready this week and maybe we will see different things. I don't know if he will play or be on the bench and we can give him some minutes.

"It depends on his progression in the coming days."

Ugly Blackburn Tough To Beat, Says Liverpool FC Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson believes Blackburn play "an ugly game very well" as Liverpool FC slipped further behind in the race for a place in next season's Champions League.

Twelve points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea and in seventh place, any thought of the title apparently disappeared long ago. A top-four spot is also looking a big ask after Saturday's 0-0 draw at Ewood Park.

Despite labelling Blackburn's game as "ugly", Johnson admitted the Lancashire side is difficult to play against, saying: "It's always difficult against Blackburn because they don't play much football and just launch the ball forward at every opportunity. They play an ugly game very well and play to their strengths. It makes life difficult for the opposition at times."

He added: "We knew what to expect and we tried to get the ball down on the floor and play. The pitch wasn't great and we took a while to get used to it, but that's football and you have to live with things like this."

The Liverpool defender produced the one piece of quality in a dreadful match by surging past four men to set up David Ngog, whose effort from six yards crashed against the bar.

He added: "We deserved to win, especially after our second-half performance.

"I thought we'd scored when I crossed for David but the ball hit the worst bobble I've ever seen before his effort came back off the bar.

"Sometimes luck doesn't go for you but I thought we played the best football and did enough to win the game.

"We were pushing and pushing and it was so frustrating we couldn't get that goal our play deserved."

Don't Bank On A Happy New Year For Liverpool FC Boss Rafa Benitez

Christmas has come early for George Gillett and fellow Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’ finances are also set to get a much needed boost.

Gillett banked a tidy £180million profit this week after his sale of Montreal Canadiens to the Molson brewing family was approved by the National Hockey League.

The 71-year-old paid £165million for the team and their Bell Centre arena back in 2001 and eight years on has more than doubled his investment.

Gillett made the decision to sell last year in a bid to ease the pressure on his other business interests, which as well as the Reds includes a Nascar motor-racing team.

Hicks is also in the process of off-loading one of his North American sports franchises.

Reports suggest three bids in excess of £300million have been received for his Major League Baseball club Texas Rangers. The Dallas businessman bought the Rangers for £150million in 1998 from a group that included former US president George W. Bush.

His reign has turned sour and earlier this year the Hicks Sports Group defaulted on £315m in loans tied to the Rangers and Hicks’ other major franchise, Dallas Stars ice hockey team.

The cash-strapped Rangers needed £9million from Major League Baseball’s central fund just to get through last season and Hicks put the club up for sale in an effort to ease mounting debts.

Recently Hicks back-tracked and revealed he was trying to put together a group of investors for a bid that would enable him to keep control.

However, it’s believed the league, which has the final say, have blocked Hicks’ plans and he has been told he has until December 15 to accept a winning bid.

Hicks is about as popular among Rangers and Stars fans as he is on the Kop. The 63-year-old has cut back wage bills and infuriated Rangers supporters by delaying refunds for play-off tickets which were void when the team’s slump meant they didn’t even qualify for the end of season showpiece.

With Gillett now £180million better off and Hicks’ windfall just around the corner, the question is what effect will all this have on Liverpool?

What is clear is that the American duo have no intentions of walking away from Anfield. If anything their extra cash tightens their grip on the club’s ownership.

However, the pair are pressing ahead with their search for third party investors. They want help to pay off the Reds’ £235m debt and to finance a new stadium.

They know the club’s value will only rocket when the Stanley Park development and the huge increase in revenue that will bring is guaranteed.

With more money in their pockets, Rafa Benitez can only hope the Americans loosen their vice-like grip on the Anfield purse strings in time for the January transfer window. But after the experiences of the past two and a half years, the Spaniard won’t be holding his breath.

Gerrard Far As Ever From Elusive Title

When Steven Gerrard, in the coming years, decides that his body and spirit can no longer carry the burden of expectation bestowed upon him by his adoring public, hangs up his boots for good and looks back on his career, the occasion of his 500th game is unlikely to be a highlight.

The Liverpool captain will fear, though, that it may provide an epitaph: Almost, but not quite.

By a curious quirk of fate, Gerrard's debut was also against Blackburn. The man now is scarcely recognisable from the boy of then, who few observers would have picked out as a future contender for the title of best player in the world.

Yet for all that as a player, and as a person, he has changed, one crucial thing has not. More worryingly, it does not look like doing so.

Rafael Benitez's side may be unbeaten in six matches, but they have won just three in 11. They are toothless without Fernando Torres, blessed with just a handful of players of sufficient calibre to share a pitch with the Spanish striker, ever more conspicuous in his absence, and their captain.

Liverpool look as far now as they did in 1998, when Gerrard began on the road to history, from ending their 20-year wait for a league championship trophy.

Gerrard remembers watching the club he now captains lift the league championship in 1990, but he is not going to follow in the footsteps of Ronnie Whelan, his favourite player from that side, this year. There are too many troubles at Anfield for Benitez's insistence that he has not yet ruled out catching Chelsea to seem anything but empty. A team capable of doing so would have created a chance worthy of the name before the 37th minute.

That they did nothing until Lucas picked out Gerrard, who saw his shot deflect wide off Chris Samba, says everything about the team Benitez has created when Torres is absent.

So limited are the Spaniard's resources that his only alternatives to his misfiring senior players were David Ngog, a raw, promising striker, and Nabil El Zhar, just as raw, altogether less promising. There is Alberto Aquilani, too, of course, but he is proving enduringly elusive. Benitez has promised he will start against Fiorentina on Wednesday, in the Champions League dead rubber. How it will help him get used to Premier League life is a mystery.

In his continued absence, though, it was left for Ngog, replacing the indescribably abject Albert Riera, to provide the visitors with a focal point for their previously aimless attacks. He had the best chance of the game to score, too, his shot cracking against the bar after Glen Johnson had raced clear down the right.

"We were trying to do everything," said Benitez. "Attacking from both sides, set-pieces, pushing and pushing very hard. I was convinced it was a goal from Ngog, and we are a little bit disappointed not to win."

So, too, was Sam Allardyce, watching his first game since his heart operation from the stands. "I like it up there," he said. "You can make a better call. I thought we were a little bit unlucky not to win."

A draw, then, was probably fair. Liverpool, and Gerrard, need more than that at places like Ewood Park if they are to bring to an end the frustrations that have accompanied his career. Almost is not enough.

Hands Off Javier Mascherano

Rafa Benitez is braced for a £30million New Year showdown with Barcelona over Javier Mascherano.

Liverpool boss Benitez has warned the La Liga champions they're fighting a losing battle in their ongoing efforts to lure the Argentinian to the Nou Camp.

Benitez will also deliver another blow to the Catalans by securing Pepe Reina's new deal after Christmas.

But he fears Mascherano will become a pawn in the next round of Barca presidential elections, with Sandro Rossell and Agosti Benedito planning to make his signing a key election pledge.

Benitez was called directly by Barca officials last summer when he told them not to bother making a formal offer for the player.

Although Mascherano was unhappy with Liverpool's decision at the time, Benitez thinks he's winning over the 25-year-old midfielder with the promise of a new deal.

"We were talking with him and his agent a month ago about our idea and his idea," said Benitez.

"Everyone can see he's doing really well and has come back to his best. We were really pleased to talk to him to make progress. We have plenty of time but we are happy with him and he is happier now, too.

"He has two more years on his contract, we were talking before and we will sit down sooner rather than later and talk about the future.

"The last conversations that we had were very positive."

While Liverpool sweat on whether Mascherano will publicly commit himself to the club - the player kissed his badge after creating the first in last week's Merseyside derby - there are no such fears about Reina. He recently told Sport of the World he would 'die for the Liverpool shirt' amid more interest from Barcelona.

The signing of keeper Reina on a new four-year-deal worth £90,000 a week should be a formality after Christmas.

"We are very happy with him," said Benitez. "He has been improving every single year and he will improve more because goalkeepers have more time in their career. He's always positive and he's one of the best in the training sessions because his attitude is always good.

"It depends on the agent and what the player wants but Pepe is very happy here in Liverpool so I don't see a big problem.

"The team- mates love him because he's a very good example."

Why Fernando Torres Is Right To Want His Kids To Grow Up As Scousers, By Derek McGovern

It was a surprise to learn that Fernando Torres wants his children to grow up and be Scousers.

Many would say it's impossible to do both.

The thing about Liverpudlians, as Torres has no doubt found, is that to a man they have a childlike sense of fun.

I'm not talking about the famous Scouse wit - like money, some Scousers have it; most don't.

I'm talking about the ability to find enjoyment where none should exist, like a funeral, an industrial strike, or an Everton match.

In London, those who have any dosh left after paying the mortgage rush home at 11pm because they have to work the next morning. In Liverpool they stay out until the wee small hours because they have to work the next morning.

I told a Cockney mate that I was writing a piece about why it's great to be a Scouser and asked if he had any advice.

"Lie," he said.

That's the thing about non-Scousers. They really haven't a clue what a joy Liverpool is to live in.

They rely on Merseyside stereotypes, perhaps because Merseysiders have nicked most of their stereos.

They shudder when they see our boarded-up shops - but rather those than boarded-up minds.

They shake their heads when they read of Croxteth gang crime, ignoring the inconvenient truth that Liverpool is the safest of all English cities for everyone bar Sun readers.

My missus is a Cockney who would never dream of leaving Liverpool now, even if I untied her. Thousands of the students who spend three years here on half a lager choose to stay on and have their homes here, their homes repossessed here, and ultimately their homes burgled here.

They put up with the bad eggs of the city - as bad as any eggs you'll find - because the good eggs, the vast majority, are the warmest, most generous of all.

That's exactly what Torres has discovered in less than two years on Merseyside. He has opened his heart to Liverpool and in return Liverpool has opened its heart to him. It helps of course that he scores bundles yet doesn't nick our orange girls off us, but we'd love him anyway.

And as for his daughter speaking Liverpudlian - a hybrid of Spanish and Scouse would sound most appealing, unless of course it was called Spouse.

No Chance, Rafa

Matt Le Tissier watched Liverpool fall further behind the Premier League pace-setters.

With Fernando Torres still sidelined, the Reds failed to make an impact against a Blackburn side buoyed by the return of Sam Allardyce - and their Carling Cup win over Chelsea.

It left Rafa Benitez bemoaning a poor first half but looking forward to Alberto Aquillani's first start in a red shirt against Fiorentina in midweek.

And for Le Tissier it can't come quick enough because he insisted Rovers looked the least likely to break the Ewood Park stalemate.

"The first half was dire, absolutely turgid stuff," he told Soccer Saturday.

"In the second half it was a lot livelier but still, in terms of great chances, Liverpool had one. It fell to David Ngog who was a little unfortunate; Glen Johnson did so well and his cross came in and maybe it did take a bit of a bobble because he was just looking to side-foot it in, but it's come off his shin and hit the bar.

"They had a lot of pressure in the second half, some long-range efforts went in, but that was the only gilt-edged chance they created in 90 minutes.

"(Nikola) Kalinic had an absolutely perfect chance late on to win the game; Reina did well to come out of goal and close down the angle but Kalinic for me, showed a lack of composure, panicked a little bit. They had another one late on when (Benni) McCarthy turned but should've done better."

"Big Sam would've probably snatched your hand off for a point at the start of the day, but in the end, they had more chances.

"(Franco) Di Santo looked like a man bereft of confidence when he went through but wanted about four or five touches to get into position to have a shot before Carragher got back and took the ball off him."

Match Report: Blackburn 0 - 0 Liverpool

Blackburn and Liverpool fought out a gruelling 0-0 draw at Ewood Park with Liverpool substitute David Ngog coming closest to a goal with a shot that rattled the bar.

The first half was a shocking, grim affair with neither side producing anything worthy of note.

After the break Liverpool were arguably the better side, but even a third successive clean sheet will not mask another display which lacked drive and belief.

Blackburn deserved their point in a good week which also saw them beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.

They made four changes from Wednesday's victorious side with Michel Salgado, Nikola Kalinic, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Jason Roberts on the bench and the fresh legs of Gael Givet, Vince Grella, El Hadji Diouf and Franco Di Santo all back in the side.

Liverpool had Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun returning to the starting line-up from the side which won at Everton last time out.

Dirk Kuyt played as the lone central striker with Steven Gerrard, playing his 500th game for the club, delegated to his supporting role.

With Riera and Benayoun out wide and a clear decision to defend in depth, Liverpool were looking to hit Blackburn on the break.

Rovers accepted the initiative handed to them in midfield and came forward with purpose with ex-Liverpool man Diouf prominent as the home side monopolised possession.

Not one serious chance was created in the opening half, Liverpool not having enough up front to make things happen and Blackburn finding it tough to weave their way through Liverpool's massed ranks.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce, back after his heart surgery but leaving the dug-out to his assistant Neil McDonald, would have been reasonably pleased with what he was watching.

Liverpool chief Rafael Benitez fashioned his side to counter Rovers' aerial threat at set-pieces.

He has always been preoccupied with competing against anything Allardyce comes up with, either at Bolton or now Ewood Park.

The first half saw precious little penalty box activity. Givet's 36th-minute free-kick presented Di Santo with a flick-on chance, but Jose Reina was alive to the danger.

A minute later Gerrard burst into the box from the left, but Chris Samba's lunging tackle deflected the shot wide of the far post.

Di Santo should have scored a minute into the second period when Steven Nzonzi's pass put him clear, but the young striker was painfully slow to get the ball under control and was dispossessed by Daniel Agger.

Then Liverpool again lost Riera to injury as he limped away to be replaced by Ngog, Kuyt moving to the left.

Gerrard soon tested Paul Robinson from 25 yards and then saw another flighted chip clear the bar. Diouf was booked for tripping Javier Mascherano, the tempo of the game finally rising.

Gerrard had another shot blocked and Benayoun's header from his captain's corner flew over the bar.

Rovers hit back when they took advantage of Lucas falling over in possession, surging away for Di Santo to test Reina.

Glen Johnson's exciting run past four men ended with a low cross that Ngog smashed against the bar after 71 minutes from just a few yards out, Kuyt's follow up being blocked by Samba.

David Hoilett came on for Diouf and Nabil El Zhar replaced Benayoun, with Benni McCarthy shooting inches wide before being taken off after 76 minutes, Kalinic taking over.

Johnson's cross was then headed back by Gerrard for Ngog, who failed to connect three yards out under pressure.

Rovers sent on Keith Andrews for Di Santo with six minutes left as Liverpool surged forward, but they could not manage the decisive finish.

Steven Gerrard Leads The Way, But His Team-Mates Refuse To Follow

Rafa Benitez has been falling over himself to praise Steven Gerrard in the run-up to his skipper's 500th Liverpool appearance, but having seen Blackburn Rovers hold his side to a tepid goalless draw at Ewood Park, the Spaniard may now cast his eye at the rest of his squad as he looks to inject some consistency into his side's season.

Gerrard did his utmost to unpick the lock which Blackburn had placed across their backline, but was let down badly by his support cast as Sam Allardyce's men - watched from the stands by their manager, following his recent heart surgery - picked up a relatively comfortable point against a Reds side lacking conviction and confidence.

Indeed, were it not for the wayward finishing of Rovers' substitute - and midweek League Cup hero - Nicola Kalinic, it might even have been worse for Benitez's side. A defeat would have been harsh, but Liverpool would have had only themselves to blame.

As it stands, a third successive clean sheet, and sixth game unbeaten, should not be underestimated in a season which has promised so much yet delivered so little, but Liverpool fans will traipse away from Ewood Park ruing a lack of cutting edge in their side.

With Fernando Torres ruled out of this trip to Lancashire, Liverpool were always going to need someone to step up alongside Gerrard. Dirk Kuyt, selected at centre-forward in preference to David Ngog, provided little in a first half for which the term 'insipid' may have been invented.

The home side's sponsor - Crown Paints - was apt. It was like watching paint dry in an opening 45 minutes in which quality and incision were in desperately short supply, from both sides. A couple of forays down the inside-left channel from Gerrard were the sum total of Liverpool's attacking raids as the wide players - Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera - offered next to nothing by way of service.

With Riera so anonymous he lasted just six minutes of the second half before being replaced by Ngog, Liverpool's attacking play was disjointed and lacking any sort of consistent threat, despite a few near misses.

Too often Gerrard's efforts were not matched by the awareness of his team-mates, as a series of dangerous balls in from the skipper were not met by a Liverpool shirt. One piece of skill in the second half should have opened Rovers up, but no colleagues were able to get themselves on the end of his inviting cross.

The same, it should be said, goes for Glen Johnson. The England international full-back grew in confidence as the game wore on, and should have provided the key to the door for Ngog with a bold, imaginative raid down the right. Unfortunately, the young French striker's finish on the six-yard line was wild, and crashed against Paul Robinson's cross bar.

As for Alberto Aquilani, another game passed without the Italian being spotted. Benitez has, quite rightly, spoken of the need to be patient with the £17 million signing as he works his way towards full fitness, but the sight of a creative, powerful shooting, attacking midfielder sat on the bench as Liverpool toiled here was puzzling.

Lucas and Javier Mascherano are playing well both individually and collectively, yet there is a nagging feeling that when wins are needed, one of the pair must surely be sacrificed.

Aquilani will surely start against Fiorentina in the Champions League on Wednesday night, and Torres is likely to be involved too. Yet Liverpool desperately need points in the Premier League and, despite a much-improved second-half display, there were few signs here that they had the werewithal to pick up all three.

With Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa all picking up wins, a draw here was always likely to be two points dropped. That was the certainly the case, and Benitez will be hoping that Torres and Aquilani can return to add some purpose to the Reds' attack. And quick.

Blackburn Too 'Physical' A Place To Risk Alberto Aquilani

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted his disappointment with Liverpool's goalless draw at Ewood Park but defended his decision not to bring on Alberto Aquilani.

He said: "We did not play well in the first half, but after the break we were much better. We were certainly better in possession than we had been in the last game when we won at Everton.

"We need to win, though, in these situations. We are getting better but we know we have to do better."

Benitez revealed that Liverpool are likely to have Fernando Torres fit for the Champions League match on Wednesday against Fiorentina, with Alberto Aquilani also expected to start the match.

Of his decision to keep Aquilani on the bench at Ewood Park, Benitez said: "He is fit now, the ankle injury has healed. But I feel this was a difficult, physical place to come and not the right time to throw him on.

"He will be better getting his chance in a home match with our fans behind him. It is a difficult decision when someone is not fully match fit, he could make a mistake and it would set him back."

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce revealed that he couldn't resist a return to the dug-out on his first game back since undergoing heart surgery.

Allardyce had spent much of the match in the directors' box following his heart surgery last week, but he ventured down to the dug-out for the closing minutes.

He said: "I felt okay until the last few minutes, they were a heart-stopper.

"But in those minutes we could have won it. Nikola Kalinic was through, and should have at least got his effort on target. He was flattened by (Jose) Reina just outside the box, but he still should have rolled the shot on target. "

Liverpool Face 'Meaningless' Match

The true measure of Liverpool's Champions League humiliation will really hit home next week when they face a meaningless Group E match against Fiorentina.

Liverpool are already out of the competition with one match still to go and all that boss Rafael Benitez can really look forward to is the prospect that both Fernando Torres - still fighting to recover from a groin problem - and £20million midfielder Alberto Aquilani could play.

Benitez said: "Fernando was not quite ready to play at Blackburn but we are working on him playing against Fiorentina. The same applies to Aquilani, this might be the right moment to play him from the start of a match after his long-term ankle injury."

That will be scant consolation for the fans, who have become accustomed to seeing Liverpool facing an exciting final group match with qualification at stake.

This time they will be the supporting cast watching an Italian side celebrating their first qualification for the last 16 for 10 years.

The only remaining issue is whether Fiorentina can claim the win to secure top spot in the group above Lyon.

Liverpool have only the Europa League to look forward to after Christmas, with the draw for the last 32 taking place on December 18.

Benitez may well leave out the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Jose Reina on Wednesday ahead of the far more important home Premier League game against Arsenal on December 13.

Their route back into the Champions League depends on a top four-finish now but Benitez said: "It is important that we put on a good performance, play well and win. That can only help our confidence in the future.

"But I may well use some players who are not usually involved in the first-team starting line-up. But we have to win. We must show quality and give the fans a good game."

Aquilani Set For Viola Start

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed that Alberto Aquilani could make his long-awaited first start for against Fiorentina on Wednesday night.

Aquilani was once again an unused substitute in the goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Italian midfielder could now make his first start in Wednesday's Champions League clash with his countrymen Fiorentina with nothing at stake in the encounter.

"Maybe we will start with Aquilani in our next match because today was a very difficult and tough game," said. "But against Fiorentina maybe he will start.

"We were thinking of putting him on today but the game was too open. When a player isn't match fit, it is a risk to put him on the pitch. Maybe it would have been worse for him. At Anfield, with our fans behind him, I think it will be easier.

"It's also a question of the other players being injured. Gerrard was injured before and is fit now. With Gerrard, Lucas and Mascherano we now have balance in the midfield."

Aquilani has made just three substitute appearances since recovering from ankle surgery in the summer, but despite calls for the player to be included in his starting XI Benitez is refusing to rush the former Roma man.

"He is a player who needs to settle down," added Benitez. "We are watching him in every training session and he is improving and doing well.

"He can only get match fitness by playing. We were hoping to play him in the reserves the other day but the game was postponed, so we have to carry on and then he will have a chance against Fiorentina."

Liverpool After Star Russian Striker

Reds boss Rafa Benitez is believed to be after Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.

The Russian forward has found life difficult at White Hart Lane, spending the majority of time on the bench for Tottenham Hotspur as Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch hog the starting positions.

Pavlyuchenko is keen to leave North London, and the striker has been constantly linked with a move to Serie 'A' side Roma.

However, Liverpool boss Benitez is keen to add some strength to his thin attacking options, and Pavlyuchenko could be a shock choice for the Spaniard.

Rumours that originally surfaced in The People refuse to go away, and the striker hasn't hidden his desire to move.

"I only sit on the bench for my club - I can only hope that January will bring changes in my life," said Pavlyuchenko.

"I've never had such a black period in my life."

Fernando Torres' Injury Could Affect His World Cup Claim

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has warned that striker Fernando Torres' injuries are mounting up to such a degree that his fitness may not be one hundred per cent for Spain come next year's World Cup.

Torres was told last month to rest for three weeks, rather than have surgery for a plaguing hernia problem, by a specialist in Valencia, but the 25-year-old is still set to miss the clash with Blackburn on Saturday night.

Benitez fears this injury may persist all season and could cast doubt over the strikers involvement in South Africa.

He told The Guardian: "When you have this kind of problem it is very difficult.

"We were talking about how to manage it at a conference with four specialists the other day, and everyone had their own opinion, so it is not easy. In this case I think we have done the right things and you have to keep working during the season.

"Maybe he will be stronger in the second part of the season because he hasn't played too many games in the first half. After that, we have to analyse what his condition is. We will discuss it."

Benitez, however, remains confident that the star finisher will be able to come back and put his injuries to bed.

"We will have to keep an eye on him during the season but he can carry on. It will depend on each game but he has confidence and he is very positive and can carry on through the season," he said.

Winger Ready To Take Chance

Nabil El Zhar is relishing the opportunity to make up for lost time by playing a part in Liverpool's ascent up the Barclays Premier League table.

The Moroccan winger missed the opening months of the 2009-10 campaign due to a knee ligament problem sustained in pre-season.

However, El Zhar has been named on the substitutes' bench for the Reds' last two league outings, and with his injury woe now behind him, the 23-year-old is eager to make his first-team return in the coming weeks.

"I am good now. I have recovered from the injury and I am training as normal," he told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"I twisted my knee in pre-season and had problems with the ligament. It took a long time to recover from, but now I am back.

"I have been injured since July, so I am not 100 per cent fit. But I am feeling better every day and hopefully in a few weeks I will be at 100 per cent.

"It's never a good time to be injured, especially in pre-season, but now it's over and I am just looking to the future."

After making 19 appearances for the first-team last term, El Zhar was rewarded with a contract extension by Rafael Benitez in the summer.

Now back in contention, the winger is determined to pick up where he left off prior to the injury.

"Of course it has been difficult to watch," he said. "But the club have been helping me a lot - it's not easy to be injured. Now I just want to play and improve.

"We did well last season, and I played a part which was good for me. I hope to get some more games this season.

"Rafa has told me to be patient because I have been out for a long time. Obviously I am not 100 per cent fit, and that will take time.

"I need to wait, work hard to get my fitness back and take my chance when it comes."

Liverpool are currently on a five match unbeaten run and will head into today's clash with Blackburn Rovers on the back of a morale-boosting Merseyside derby triumph over Everton.

El Zhar added: "The mood is good here and we all stick together. Confidence is up and we got a win on Sunday against Everton, so everything is right.

"We've had some bad luck this season, but that's in the past and we have to look to the future and learn from our mistakes. The next game is against Blackburn and we have to try and win."

Match Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Liverpool

Liverpool will be hoping to take another step on the road to recovery this weekend when they tackle Blackburn Rovers, who showed in midweek that they are more than capable of running with the Premier League's big boys.

Rovers booked their place in the League Cup semi-finals on Wednesday with a shock win over table-toppers Chelsea. The score was locked at 3-3 after extra time, but Paul Robinson emerged the hero in the penalty shoot-out to set up a date with Aston Villa in January.

Blackburn's league form hardly reflects such a fine result. They presently lie 13th in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone and eight adrift of the Champions League slots – it is, at least, a marked improvement on their early-season achievements under Paul Ince last term.

On Saturday they will have the chance to claim another big scalp, although the Reds look to be on the mend after a horrendous run that has seen them bow out of the Champions League and slip well behind in the title race.

Liverpool eased their European woes somewhat last weekend when they downed bitter rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby. Rafael Benitez's men may have been on the back foot for much of the contest, but Pepe Reina's efforts in goal ensured a 2-0 win to the visitors.

Those three points boosted the Red into fifth place, two points behind Arsenal – although the Gunners have a game in hand. And with the fight for places in the top four looking as tight as ever, a slip up at Ewood Park this weekend is not an option.


FORM GUIDE

Blackburn Rovers

Dec 2: Blackburn Rovers 3-3 Chelsea (League Cup)*
Nov 28: Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Stoke City
Nov 25: Fulham 3-0 Blackburn Rovers
Nov 22: Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Blackburn Rovers
Nov 7: Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Portsmouth
* Blackburn won 4-3 on penalties

Liverpool

Nov 29: Everton 0-2 Liverpool
Nov 24: Debrecen 0-1 Liverpool (Champions League)
Nov 21: Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City
Nov 9: Liverpool 2-2 Birmingham City
Nov 4: Olympique Lyonnais 1-1 Liverpool (Champions League)


TEAM NEWS

Blackburn Rovers

Sam Allardyce will reclaim the reins from stand-in gaffer Neil McDonald, having sat out the last few games following an angioplasty. You won't see Big Sam jumping up and down on the touchline, however, as he will direct things from the relative comfort of the stands.

Franco di Santo was ineligible to play in midweek against his parent club, Chelsea, but the young Argentine forward is available once more and could reclaim a starting spot.

The in-form David Dunn was another who missed out on Wednesday, due to a calf complaint, and remains a doubt for Saturday's clash.

Last starting XI (vs Chelsea): Robinson, Salgado, Nelsen, Samba, Chimbonda, Emerton, Nzonzi, Pedersen, McCarthy, Kalinic, Roberts.

Liverpool

The big news is that Fernando Torres could make his long-awaited return from injury. The Spanish striker hasn’t featured since the 1-1 draw at Lyon on November 4.

Alberto Aquilani is still eagerly awaiting his first Premier League start, but boss Benitez has made it clear that he won't rush the fragile Italian midfielder back into action.

Both Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun made cameo appearances in the derby win at Goodison Park, so they could be in contention to start this weekend.

Last starting XI (vs Everton): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Aurelio, Ngog.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Blackburn Rovers – David Dunn

He's far from certain to play, and that's been the story of this man's career. An uncharacteristic run of fitness has allowed him to remind everyone just why he was once branded the new Paul Gascoigne. If he plays, he'll be the go-to guy; if not, Rovers may struggle to create anything – although the win over Chelsea would lead one to believe otherwise.

Liverpool – Fernando Torres

Again, not a sure-fire starter, but all the press whispers indicate that 'El Nino' is ready to return. David Ngog has deputised admirably in the past few weeks, but the Reds have nonetheless missed their superstar No.9. Assuming he does feature, it will be interesting to see how much of an impact he has after his lay-off.

Liverpool Won’t Risk Fernando Torres Against Blackburn

Fernando Torres has been ruled out of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Blackburn on Saturday after failing to recover sufficiently quickly from the groin injury which has forced him to miss Rafael Benitez’ side’s last four fixtures.

The Spanish international striker returned to full training with his team-mates yesterday and took part today, but Benitez has confirmed he is not yet fit enough to be considered available, though the Liverpool manager is hoping Torres will be able to play some part against Fiorentina in the dead rubber Champions League game on Wednesday.

“Fernando will not be in the squad today,” confirmed Benitez. “He is much better than he was and he is very close and we hope to have him available against Fiorentina so at least we can give him some minutes.

“He played in a game in training this week but we have to keep an eye on him. The doctors said it would be three weeks, more or less, before he is ready and we are still within that time, so he is progressing well.

“Of course, it would be better for us to have one of the best strikers in the world available. He is a top striker who is always a threat, so it is really good news for the club that he is on his way back, but we have also been very pleased with David Ngog, who has done well while Fernando has been out.”

Torres picked up the injury in October while on international duty with Spain and has struggled for fitness ever since, featuring in just three of Liverpool’s subsequent 10 games, and failing to finish any of those he was deemed fit enough to play in.

His absence has coincided with a dreadful run of form for Benitez’s side, winning just three of those fixtures as their Champions League and Premier League campaigns have fallen apart.

Benitez is taking solace, though, that Liverpool’s fortuitous win in the Merseyside derby last Sunday could prove a turning point in a week of huge significance for the club. Steven Gerrard will make his 500th appearance for Liverpool at Ewood Park in the week in which Anfield celebrated the 50th anniversary of Bill Shankly’s arrival as manager.

Steven Gerrard: I Have Total Belief In My Liverpool Team-Mates

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has affirmed his faith in the abilities of his Anfield team-mates, claiming that there is enough spirit and quality within the camp to see the side through their current bad patch.

"I have total belief in my team-mates. We have certainly under-achieved this season," he told his club's official website.

"But after last season where we finished so close in second, we're virtually the same group of players. We've added a couple to that, obviously Glen Johnson who is a top player.

"We've just underachieved this year, we haven't played to our capabilities. What we've learned so far this season is that if you do under-perform and don't match the teams around you chasing it, you will certainly fall behind as we have done.

"There are some fantastic teams out there full of world-class players. There are six or seven top-class teams in the league at the moment, all fighting for the top four positions. The league is very difficult, we realise that.

"But we certainly won't stop trying and we'll keep working hard to try and bring it back for all those Liverpool fans that are desperate for it as well.

"It's been too long without a league title and because it is missing from my collection it is one that I'm most desperate for going forward."

The England international is also hoping that Rafa Benitez's team can build on the momentum of Sunday's win at Everton against Blackburn Rovers at the weekend - likely to be Gerrard's 500th appearance for the club.

"Our main target is to get back into the top four. We're coming off the back of a fantastic win at Everton and we want to continue that against Blackburn and try and go on a run of games where we can get closer to the teams above us," he added, before revealing just what an honour reaching the milestone of 500 games was to him.

"It means everything to me personally," he affirmed.

"I'm a local boy and my dream when I was young was always just to play one game for Liverpool. So to reach this milestone is a really proud moment for my family and myself."

Beware The Fulham Factor, Warns Liverpool FC’s Fabio Aurelio

Winter has bitten for the first time this week but, like the rest of his team-mates, Fabio Aurelio has kept himself warm by basking in the glow of a Merseyside derby victory.

Last Sunday’s hard fought 2-0 win over Everton has, at long last, released some of the pressure that had been building on Liverpool and given Rafa Benitez and his players reason to breathe out a little.

After all, many Reds came away from Goodison Park feeling a corner had been turned and the autumn gloom which had enveloped their club was finally starting to disperse.

No wonder. When a Javier Mascherano shot from 30-yards that was going wide loops into the opposite corner of the net he was aiming for and Pepe Reina makes a save which he had no right to, it’s easy to see why people are saying Liverpool’s luck has changed.

But as happy as Aurelio is going into the next assignment on Liverpool’s agenda – a trip to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow – he is also mindful of making any rash predictions as it is not too long since they were in a similar situation.

You only need go back six weeks to be reminded that, unless the focus is good and the application matches, football has a nasty habit of ensuring that frustration follows the days when elation rules.

Manchester United’s visit to Anfield should have been the defining afternoon of the campaign but that was wiped out by a wretched performance six days later at Fulham, when Liverpool lost 3-1 and finished the game with nine men.

So despite Benitez’s men being odds-on to record back-to-back wins for the first time since September at Ewood Park, Aurelio is quick to sound a note of caution, as Sam Allardyce will inevitably have the Carling Cup semi-finalists fired up.

What’s more, if Liverpool don’t replicate the endeavour and hard work which epitomised their efforts at Goodison, the cultured Brazilian defender warns that everything good about last weekend will go to waste.

“Our target is to get back into the top four as quickly as we can,” Aurelio said. “We’ve got to start moving up the table and to do that, we need to win every game we have got coming up; it was important to get a result at Everton but it is the same at Blackburn.

“It will be the same after that when we play Arsenal. We have to be ready for these games and fight in the same way we did at Goodison. But it was just three points and we have to make sure we follow up.

“We did a great job last Sunday and you could see how much we wanted it. But it won’t mean anything if we don’t make sure the next result is a positive one as well. It is a thin line of getting the results in our favour.”

Few would argue with that claim; had Liverpool emerged from the 212th derby with the wrong result, the hysteria regarding their league position, coming so soon after being jettisoned from the Champions League, would have been intolerable.

Although there is no disputing the level of performance can improve dramatically, Aurelio is quick to point that Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five games.

And should they collect another three points at Ewood Park and results elsewhere go their way, Benitez and his squad could find themselves in the third place by the close of play this weekend.

“It was really important to beat Everton,” Aurelio reflected. “We need to get a result and it was great for confidence that we did it in a derby. We had to match them in terms of fighting for possession and there was a big battle in the first half.

“When the game started to open up in the second half, we were able to pass it a little bit easier and created some chances, but it was a very difficult game and it’s likely to be the same against Blackburn.

“We are starting to build momentum and the win feels so much better than Debrecen. It was difficult there because we knew it wasn’t just about us but against Everton, we did our job and showed we can start to move up the Premier League.

“We have got our targets. The most important thing was to take three points but now we can start to look ahead a bit more. We know from now until the end of the season, every game is going to be massive for us.”

If things do go the way Aurelio hopes and anticipates, he will not forget the role Reina has played to keep Liverpool in the thick of things.

Reina may have fewer clean sheets than he might not normally expect to have at this stage of affairs but that does not detract from how consistent his performances have been since August.

“Pepe has been showing that all season,” Aurelio declared. “He has been helping us a lot with some of the saves he has made and it was brilliant to see him do the same against Everton. They had a clear chance to score but that’s what Pepe does.

“He’s such a quick goalkeeper that you know he is going to get to the ball most of the time first; he’s got great quality with his feet. You don’t really have to talk about how good he is because everyone can see it on the pitch.”

Rafa Benitez Hails David Ngog's Liverpool Form

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is very pleased with the way in which David Ngog has stepped forward and led the Reds' line during the recent injury absence of Fernando Torres.

The 20-year-old has started Liverpool's last four games, scoring twice. He has now notched five goals in all game this season, and Benitez is pleased that the striker seems to have answered some of his critics.

"I think he is doing well because everyone has been talking about Torres, so to play in his position, work hard and score goals is difficult," Benitez told his club's official website.

"When people talk about Torres, you know the next striker will always be in a bad position.

"But Ngog is working very hard, he has good movement and technique, and is scoring goals. For a young player, you cannot expect any more from him."

And the speed of the Frenchman's development has been a pleasant surprise for his manager.

"When we signed him, we were talking about him playing maybe five to 10 games a season, 15-20 maximum," Benitez added.

"Now he is playing a lot of games, which is very good for him and the team also.

"Sometimes for a young player it can be difficult because you have to fight with two strong centre-backs in difficult games.

"But he has scored some goals and has given us some options in attack. We are watching the progression of a very good young player.

"He likes to train and learn. We were doing training sessions with him and Torres and they were working together on some movements. He is someone who is keen to learn.

"Always when you talk about young players, you talk about the price, so when you put everything together, he is a very good signing."